Welcome back! We are a little over two weeks into No-Buy-November, and still going strong!

Because No-Buy-November just happens (wink, wink) to fall on the same month as Movember, I have been doing some thinking about shaving. For some reason, when I grow a mustache, like a am now, rather than my usual chin-stripe, it seems like I have a little more facial hair to shave. Call me crazy.

Even if it is all in my head, shaving every day reminds me of one of the little things that I buy, use, and send straight to the landfill. Razors! I don’t go through them very quick, but in the spirit of No-Buy-November I want to take a few minutes to think about this item that is designed to be used up and thrown away.

So, what are some alternatives to the standard disposable safety razor? Well, as my favorite blogger Mr. Money Mustache’ grandfather says, the simplest way to reduce the amount of waste involved in shaving (and reduce the amount of money it costs) is to use two-blade safety razors with reusable handles, rather than the fancy new 5-blade vibrating razor that you throw away after only a few uses. Also, rather than throwing the razor away after it starts to get dull, sharpen it on your jeans instead to make the blades stay sharp longer!

The next level of awesome is to start using the old-fashioned single-blade safety razor instead of a disposable razor. I bought a pair of them on Ebay, polished them a little, and have been using them ever since. The blades are incredibly cheap, and that is the only part of the razor that is disposable. Also, they are easy to find used on Ebay, like I did. They are generally very well made, and can last for a very long time. It is just a little more complicated to shave with them, but after a few shaves, it will become as natural as using any other razor. Here is a great tutorial on using safety razors, and a fun article on how to shave like your grandfather did!

The ultimate in shaving awesomeness is the classic straight razor. Nothing says amazing like shaving your manly face-hair with something that has been around since the beginning of shaving! A straight razor will never need anything new and disposable, and when your great-grandson gives it to his great-grandson a few hundered years from now, it will work just as well for him as it does for you. Buying one can put you back a hundred or more bucks, but it will literally be the last razor you ever buy, and they can definitely be found used. Here is a great article on restoring vintage straight razors, and another article on how to use them properly.